Introduction
A general anaesthetic is a medical procedure in which an anaesthetist (an anaesthetist) puts a patient into an artificial deep sleep and at the same time suppresses pain sensation and consciousness with medication. However, the drugs that induce deep sleep also suppress the human respiratory drive, making artificial respiration necessary for the duration of the anesthesia. This is made possible by so-called intubation, a short procedure in which a tube is inserted into the patient’s windpipe and connected to a ventilator.
General information
General anesthesia is a relatively safe and frequently used procedure in Germany. Objectively speaking, general anesthesia is the time in a person’s life when he or she is most thoroughly monitored because of the continuous measurement of blood pressure, pulse and heart activity. Nevertheless, every general anesthesia carries some not inconsiderable risks.
The total risk of dying from anesthesia today is 1:1. 000. 000 (one in a million).
This probability is therefore not significantly higher than that of death while awake. The frequently circulated figure, according to which 43,000 people die under anesthesia in Germany with 10 million operations per year, should be treated with caution: These patients die during anesthesia, not necessarily because of it. The cause of death is likely to be in the vast majority of cases incidents during the operation or previous illnesses.
Do I have to be sober before a general anaesthetic?
Before a planned (elective) procedure, special attention is paid to the patient’s sobriety in order to minimize the risks of anaesthetic induction. Especially vomiting and subsequent penetration of the stomach contents into the respiratory tract (aspiration), when inserting the tube for ventilation, can be a life-threatening complication. Especially since the anaesthesia leads to a damping of reflexes, such as cough, swallowing or gagging reflexes. One is considered fasting 6 hours after the last intake of solid food, fruit juices, coffee with milk or porridge. Up to 2 hours before the procedure, clear liquids such as water, coffee without milk or unsweetened tea can be taken.
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